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Meet affiliated faculty Roberto Gaxiola

October 16, 2023

In this series, we're sitting down with the Swette Center-affiliated faculty to catch up on food systems, innovation, and what makes a good meal. See the rest of the series on our Food Systems Profiles page.

Read on for an interview with Roberto Gaxiola, School of Life Sciences Professor and Senior Global Futures Scientist.

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Meet affiliated faculty Rozita Smith

October 11, 2023

In this series, we're sitting down with the Swette Center-affiliated faculty to catch up on food systems, innovation, and what makes a good meal. See the rest of the series on our Food Systems Profiles page.

Read on for an interview with Rozita Smith, Assistant Director to the International Students and Scholars Center and owner of The Aquaponics Grower. 

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Arizona State University’s Global Drylands Center Ecologist Hire

October 10, 2023

The School of Life Sciences and the School of Sustainability at Arizona State University in collaboration with ASU’s Global Drylands Center invite applications for a full-time, tenure‐ track, benefits-eligible faculty position in the area of Drylands Ecology at the rank of Assistant or Associate Professor. Rank and tenure status will be commensurate with experience. The anticipated start date is August 16, 2024.

SOLS and SOS are engaged in education and research at all levels, while GDC integrates across academic units and fosters cutting-edge dryland ecology through use-inspired research, synthesis of novel ecological theory and education. We seek to expand a strong, diverse group of ecologists in GDC who are focused on advancing our understanding of basic and applied ecology of drylands while concurrently signaling leadership in this globally important research space. Drylands encompass 45 % of the terrestrial surface, a broad range of ecosystem types and call for a diversity of scientific approaches to attain a comprehensive understanding of their role and fate.

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The Senate Ag Staff: Behind the Scenes in Support of Agriculture and Rural Communities

September 29, 2023

By Copeland Vidal, ASU Sustainable Food Systems graduate student.

 Have you ever wondered how the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee carry out their mandate to guide and shape agricultural policies that maintain the welfare of farmers, ranchers, and consumers? This crucial task is facilitated by dedicated staff who are passionate about ensuring Committee members are thoroughly informed and briefed on the intricate technical insight that drives these policies. Being backed up by a team of expert staff allows the Senate Agriculture Committee to efficiently and successfully evaluate legislation related to farming, nutrition, conservation, rural development, and forestry.

The team of staff on the Senate Agriculture Committee is comprised of qualified individuals with diverse backgrounds who are responsible for researching issues, developing legislation, analyzing government programs and laws, and supervising agency activities. Aside from experienced staff, the Committee also works with a team of legislative assistants who represent the interests of the individual senators, particularly members of the Committee, on specific agriculture and rural development policy issues. 

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The Problem with Land Fractionation and Heirs’ Property and Why it Matters 

September 29, 2023

By: Jocelyn Moguin, ASU Sustainable Food Systems graduate student

Note: Janie Hipp has now transitioned into a new position as President and CEO of Native Agriculture Financial Services (NAFS), and is no longer General Counsel at USDA. 

Background

During our DC Immersive, my Sustainable Food Systems MS cohort had the pleasure of sitting down and listening to General Counsel Janie Hipp. Janie Hipp is the General Counsel in USDA’s Office of the General Counsel and was appointed by President Biden and confirmed by the Senate. General Counsel Hipp is an expert in agricultural law, an Oklahoma Native, and a member of the Chickasaw Nation. She is only the 4th woman to have served as General Counsel of USDA and the first Native woman to have served in her role in the nation’s history. For more details on the incredible career path and insights of General Counsel Hipp, read fellow graduate student Eleanor Ross’s impressive blog detailing her history and career. 

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Presenting the 2023 ASU Graduate Cohort Transforming Food Systems

September 25, 2023

We are thrilled to introduce Arizona State University’s 2023 cohort in the Food Policy & Sustainability Leadership graduate certificate program and Sustainable Food Systems MS program. This marks our 5th cohort of students, and by far the largest and most diverse.

Committed to shaping food and farm policy in the public interest, this dynamic group of 35 leaders represents 19 states and a wide range of professions, including chefs, dietitians, retailers, landscape architects, grant writers, educators, and numerous community and school garden managers. This cohort showcases remarkable diversity in terms of ethnicity, nationality, and race.

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Scott Collins published in Functional Ecology

September 22, 2023

In a novel approach, Scott Collins et. al. have recently published a paper in Functional Ecology on how drought and post-drought periods affect plant communities. Factors such as seed size, precipitation periods, and dominant species of certain grasslands were considered.

Read the entire paper here.

The Increasing and Ever-Evolving Role of Trade in American Agriculture

September 22, 2023

By Kelly Sheridan, ASU Sustainable Food Systems graduate student

During our immersive week in Washington, D.C., my graduate school cohort had the privilege to meet with Alexis Taylor, USDA Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs (TFAA), and her chief of staff, Jamal Habibi. Under Secretary Taylor is only the second official to hold this position.  No stranger to USDA, Under Secretary Taylor served at the department from 2013 – 2017 in a variety of different roles, with the last being delegated the duties of the Under Secretary for the then Farm and Foreign Agriculture Services mission area. Taylor then went on to become the Director of Agriculture for the State of Oregon until 2022.

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An Inside Look at Efforts at USDA to Build a Resilient Food System

September 20, 2023

By Amy Mattias, ASU Sustainable Food Systems graduate student

The halls of the USDA Whitten Building in Washington, D.C. were filled with chatter as our group of Sustainable Food Systems graduate students headed to hear from the Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs (MRP), Jennifer Lester Moffitt, the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) Administrator, Bruce Summers, and AMS Associate Administrator, Melissa Bailey. USDA has eight mission areas overseen by Under Secretaries, one of which is Marketing and Regulatory Programs. As Under Secretary for this mission area, Moffitt works closely with Administrator Summers and Associate Administrator Bailey as she directs the work of AMS along with the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS). These two agencies are leaders in setting national and international standards, regulating genetic modification techniques, protecting the domestic health and welfare of plants and animals, and the marketing of all agricultural products produced domestically.

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Meet affiliated faculty Jan Stanley

September 20, 2023

In this series, we're sitting down with the Swette Center-affiliated faculty to catch up on food systems, innovation, and what makes a good meal. See the rest of the series on our Food Systems Profiles page.

Read on for an interview with Jan Stanley, Affiliate Global Futures Scholar, Executive  Coordinator in the Office of the Senior Vice President and Secretary of the University, and Contributing Editor for the ASU Alumni Association. 

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Meet affiliated faculty Steven Zuiker

September 20, 2023

In this series, we’re sitting down with the Swette Center-affiliated faculty to catch up on food systems, innovation, and what makes a good meal. See the rest of the series on our Food Systems Profiles page.

Read on for an interview with Steven Zuiker, Senior Global Futures Scholar and Associate Professor at the Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College. 

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Strategies for Successful Policy Making: Building and Sustaining Relationships

September 15, 2023

By Leanne Kami, ASU Sustainable Food Systems graduate student.

Graduate students from the ASU Swette Center for Sustainable Food Systems got a taste of policy in action this spring as part of a weeklong immersive experience in Washington, D.C., focused on food policy.  Among the tools and tactics shared by experts, ranging from rulemaking to media and advocacy, a common theme shared throughout the week was the importance of networks and relationships.

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Now hiring: Program manager

September 13, 2023

The Center for Biodiversity Outcomes is seeking a highly motivated and sustainable-minded Program Manager to join the Center.

The PM will assist in achieving high-level outcomes for CBO by supporting the management and administration of a large body of targeted effort that combines resources and talent from across ASU and the world to work toward specific goals that are chosen for their potential to move the needle on achieving system change. The PM assists in setting and pursuing clear research and outreach goals that we expect can enact system change and identifying and pursuing the capacity and resources to achieve them. Responsibilities of this position will be defined but not limited to these essential categories: program management, supervisory, administrative, and finance.

To apply, candidates should apply on the ASU Job site. Posting will close on September 18, 2023.

Behind the Scenes with the Office of Management and Budget

September 11, 2023

By Kaysey England, ASU Sustainable Food Systems graduate student.

During our Sustainable Food Systems graduate program food policy immersion experience in the spring of 2023, we had the opportunity to learn more about the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). We were joined by Ruth Saunders, Agriculture Branch Chief, and Nora Stein, Program Examiner, to learn of the critical role OMB plays in the United States government.

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Moving Dollars and Driving Innovation: The Farm Production and Conservation Mission Area

August 30, 2023

By Connor Kaeb, ASU Sustainable Food Systems graduate student.

Recently, the Sustainable Food Systems graduate cohort from Arizona State University spent a week in Washington, DC, meeting with policy leaders and influencers in our nation’s capital. As part of this immersive experience, we had the opportunity to meet with leaders from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Production and Conservation (FPAC) mission area.

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Meet affiliated faculty Isaac Joslin

August 28, 2023

In this series, we're sitting down with the Swette Center-affiliated faculty to catch up on food systems, innovation, and what makes a good meal. See the rest of the series on our Food Systems Profiles page.

Read on for an interview with Isaac Joslin, Senior Global Futures Scholar and Assistant Professor of French in the School of International Letters and Culture.

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City of Chandler partners with ASU on Project Cities Program

August 25, 2023

Project Cities is excited to announce its new community partner, the City of Chandler!

The partnership is kicking off with the inaugural project focusing on park equity with School of Sustainability undergraduate students

"Through the program, undergraduate and graduate students from multiple disciplines will research issues selected by the city. ASU faculty and staff and city staff will collaborate on experiential learning projects that will help them gather data. At the end of each semester, students will present their innovative solutions, designs, recommendations, and strategies to city staff. The ideas can then be used by city staff to make more informed decisions to move projects, planning, and community sustainability efforts forward."

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Public Servant Passionate for Housing and Urban Policy

August 24, 2023

By: Mauricio Cordova Flores, ASU Sustainable Food Systems graduate student.

His passion for solving social-economic issues has driven Chad Maisel’s career through positions at the USDA, Senator Cory Booker’s office, and two positions at the White House. He is currently the Special Assistant to the President for Housing and Urban Policy at the White House Domestic Policy Council. My graduate cohort had the opportunity to meet with Chad on May 8th, 2023, the first day of our Applied Food Policy immersive class in Washington, DC.

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Meet affiliated faculty Joanne Cacciatore

August 23, 2023

In this series, we're sitting down with the Swette Center-affiliated faculty to catch up on food systems, innovation, and what makes a good meal. See the rest of the series on our Food Systems Profiles page.

Read on for an interview with Joanne Cacciatore, Senior Global Futures Scholar and Professor in the School of Social Work.

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